As architects, we see our laptops as part of our identities. They represent our design aspirations and philosophy, especially when we’re meeting clients for informal presentations or just traveling. Our work requires powerful machines. Our selection is limited to aesthetic, portability, and power. Just as our clients are difficult to satisfy, it’s tough to satisfy our ideal criteria for a good laptop. Well, here are a couple of suggestions from us to you!
- Macbook Pro 16” – $ 2,800 – i9 8Core / 16GB / 1TB / Radeon 5500M 4GB
Of course, every architect appreciates beauty and craftsmanship. Therefore, an Apple product would always be the architect’s number one choice. Although we usually need to pay “Apple Tax”, so to speak, this year’s “no-drama” Macbook Pro 16″ is a surprisingly good bang for your buck!
- Dell XPS 15″ / 17″ – $2,400 – i7 6Core / 32GB / 1TB / GTX 1650Ti 4GB
The closest contender of the Macbook Pro’s build, quality, and aesthetic is the Dell XPS 15. It gets a HUGE PLUS for having an SD Card Reader! Similarly priced, the spec difference can be configured pretty easily. The Dell XPS’s huge win is the screen to body ratio and its almost non-existent side bezel. This is a solid Windows machine.
- Razer Stealth 13″ – $ 1,700 – i7 Gen 10 Quad-Core / 16GB / 512GB / GTX 1650Ti Max-Q 4GB
This is the most powerful 13″ laptop with dedicated graphics currently on the market. Really nice build quality. And with a muted razer logo, it looks decent in a professional setting. The only drawback is that giant bottom bezel that you can’t un-see! It’s good for portability or switching between hotdesking, on-the-go working, or workstation setting with an external screen.
- Lenovo P1 Gen3 15″ – $1,800 – i7 Gen 10 / 16GB / 512GB SSD / Quadro T1000 Max-Q 4GB
This is a corporate powerhouse. Good value for the spec, and has an amazing keyboard. Very durable build quality. All the good stuff! But it does look dull. However, it’s the best bang for your buck for a Windows machine!
- Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 with Acronym – $2,400 – AMD Renoir R9 4900HS / 32GB / 1TB / GTX 2060 6GB
Dope! A collaboration with ASUS and streetwear brand Acronym. If you are on the dot for street fashion, this is the laptop to get. They’ve managed to put hyper-powerful specs into the compact 14″ form factor. However, our favorite thing about this laptop is the beautifully-designed Airpacs sleeve.
See more of our lifestyle lists here on ArchiSafari!
